The three lions had been friends for a few weeks now, and things were going very well. As Karata had imagined, the two males got along very well, and it was like they were long lost brothers. They both had very even tempers, and though Insha was a little more outgoing than the very quiet and even keeled Tariki, but they were both prone to quiet moments and very intense and focused looks that left Karata baffled and feeling out numbered. They certainly had the advantage over her there, as they both tended to agree with one another and she was always the odd one out. She was getting used to that, though, and was coming up with other ways of getting what she wanted out of them. She was not going to go down without a fight every time, after all, and sometimes when she wanted to go on an adventure and drag them into it with her, she was going to make sure she got what she wanted.
Everyone needed a little adventure, some time.
Tariki did not tend to agree, and was not sure why he had let her pouting at him drag him out this far from his familiar home and the lands he had come to know. They were out and possibly not even in the pridal lands now, beyond anywhere that he had explored before, with her or without. He was not sure he liked that idea at all, really, because he liked to be in control of most of the variables around him. Knowing where he was went a long way in knowing what was liable to happen in the area, and what sort of dangers awaited him there. Now that he was in this unfamiliar valley, though, he had no idea what could happen and his instincts told him to be extra careful. That was probably for the best, as he knew Karata would not be cautious at all, and Insha was probably going to get caught up in her excitement as well. He had to be careful for all of them.
It was a fair assessment.
Insha had a habit of being even tempered, like Tariki, until Karata got him worked up. He was still young, and he was prone to want to experience new things and enjoy all the things the world had to offer. He was not every experienced in most things, so he was easily excited and intrigued. It meant things like going out and exploring a new area, just looking for trouble, did not immediately raise a red flag for him, like it did for Tariki. It was an invitation to the unknown and while that made him nervous and unsure, it was too thrilling to deny. So Tariki was out numbered despite initially being on the same level as Insha, by Karata’s endless badgering and her sudden realization that Insha had such a weakness to exploit. Now that she knew she could get him on her side, she would be sure to use that tactic quite a lot.
“Well, Karata, you’ve dragged us out passed where any of us know. Are you happy enough with that, or must we get into some sort of dangerous situation before we can go back and perhaps nap under some comfortable, familiar shade?”
“Wow, Tariki. Try to be a little less subtle when you’re mad about something: no one will ever know if you keep on like this.” Karata rolled her eyes and looked at Insha, grinning ear to ear. “What’s the problem with just looking around a bit? I mean, just because we haven’t been here before doesn’t mean it’s immediately dangerous, right? There’s no telling what’s around here, and probably it’ll end up being the same thing that’s around everywhere else. Nothing. Maybe some rocks. Come on, Insha, let’s go look around the valley!”
Insha nodded his head in agreement but very skillfully avoided looking at Tariki at all, and certainly avoiding his eyes directly. He was not going to risk being guilted out of his enthusiasm, and he knew that if he looked at Tariki’s frown he would start to feel anxious and nervous about his decision. Caution was usually his path of choice, but Karata certainly had her ways. He bounced after her as she ran down the slope into the valley, yet he could still hear Tariki’s heavy sigh behind them before he started to follow. He did not run, though, keeping his eyes on them and keeping his focus on the things around him just in case. It would not hurt him to be careful.
Karata ran up to a fallen tree near the center of the valley, looking very confused and sniffing around it eagerly. It looked burned on one side, and she wondered what had happened to it to make it look so damaged and to fall over like that. it certainly did not look like the wind did it, and she had never met a lion able to take down a tree that thick all by themselves. Who would dig at a tree for that long to make it fall, anyway? And where did the burns come from? No, this tree had to have had something much more serious happen to it. She did not really know the concept of lightning strikes, so she did not guess that was what happened. Insha, too, was in the dark about that kind of natural occurrence, so he had nothing to offer to her as they both examined it as closely as they could. The ground was a little damp here, and there had been some questionable weather rolling through not too long ago, so it was easy to assume that it had at least been raining.
But how could something be on fire in the rain?!
Tariki caught up to them and looked at the tree curiously, sitting down not too far away from them and observing their confusion quietly for a long time. It was moments like this that made him feel much more intelligent and important than he really needed to, but he loved to bask in it when he got the chance. Karata told him he had a big head and it was not as full as he thought it was, but he never paid her any mind. Everyone had things they were proud of, and he kept his accomplishments and personal goals geared toward his mind. He smiled as Insha looked over at him questioningly, though he did not need to be asked to offer an explanation.
“It was hit by lightning. I’ve seen it happen before, as if the Gods themselves were throwing down bolts of fire and seeing what they could hit. It happens fast, and the damage it leaves behind is… well, just like that. Imagine if that hit a lion or some other creature? I would hate to see what it did to a living being. Trees are fine, but I wonder why some things are hit by it, and other times it stays in the sky and does not come down. You hear it rumbling in the clouds and see those flashing: that is what hit this tree.”
Insha and Karata stared at him in wide eyed surprise and confusion.
“You are making that up,” the female said with a huff, shaking her head. She knew that he was liable to make things up to sound smart, but the way he said this made her think he was not actually lying. She could always tell, after so long being friends, and this definitely did not feel like his usual grab at pride. She watched him in wonder, trying to see any body language that betrayed him, but he simply shook his head patiently at her, with a very confident air about him. he was absolutely certain that was what happened to this tree, and had no reason to argue with her. If she did not believe him, then that was her problem, but he knew he was right.
“That sounds incredible!” Insha said, having less trouble believing Tariki, since he had no better ideas about it, and he really wanted to believe that something like that could happen. “I wish I could see that some time! Not… not if it hits a lion or anything… I mean… just like a tree like this one, or something that’s not alive. Uh. It would be terrible if it hit a lion…”
He frowned, feeling a bit sheepish, but the others did not question him, and understood what he meant. They did not think he was hoping to see a lion get ripped apart by God games, obviously, and he was glad because he definitely did not.
“Well, I think this warrants some more investigation. Let’s stay here tonight and see if it rains. Maybe something else will get hit, and we’ll get to see it,” Karata said, grinning as if challenging Tariki to prove himself.
Tariki shook his head, but knew there was no point arguing because Insha was already back at the tree.
“I doubt that will happen, but we might as well stay.”
Word Count: 1,529 in Google Docs
